STeps any suggestions?

[GA Mark]

I am in the process of installing my syeps. I am not sure what brand they are however they have a "shelf" that sits on the bottom that you need to put sand bags on. Well the bags that came with it were ripped right fron the start. Got new bags and filled them with sand. One leaked that night.... OK next idea. Block. My shelf looks like this ________ They are 12 inches wide and 8 inches deep and snap on the Bottom of the steps.
! I
! I
_________
I went and purchaed 10 Cap blocks and carefully placed them on the shelf. I cut a noodle and placed it infront and behind the block just in case one of them fell. Well no more room under there and laddar still kinda floats? Anyone have any kind idea or suggestions?????

[Mom2Czars]

Our sand bags failed too.

Some clever person here suggested using left over bleach bottles (of which I had MANY) filled with sand. I funnelled the sand into the bottle, then filled it with water to be sure there wouldn't be any air in the bottle. I also put a few drops of bleach in there too, for good measure.

I filled 5 of the 1.42 gallon bottles, each one weighed about 23 pounds. We used cable ties to strap them to the sides/bottom of the stairs.

It still travels a bit, since we don't have it screwed onto the deck, but it's pretty stable.

[AnnaK]

We made tubes filled with Quickcrete using 3 inch PVC pipe. We placed three of them inside the bottom step and suspended three others from the top step, holding them with electrical ties and S-hooks. The ones inside the bottom step have yellow nylon rope attached, the other ends of which we tied to the loops for the hanging tubes.

Removal of all tubes is relatively easy - nobody has to get into the water, and, since we keep the pool open (for the dogs) until the end of October, retrieving the weights without having to get in was a critical issue :)

[Spensar]

Maybe combine the two ideas and fill bleack bottles with quickcrete! :D

[karrde97]

I tried almost everything for our wedding cake steps. Bags of quicrete, dek blocks. I love the idea of the PVC. Makes me want to put my steps back in.

Large steps have conflicting issues IMHO. To prevent them from floating, they need to be weighted down and fastened to the deck. Great. Except when it comes time to move the steps to either prevent or clean up an algae explosion(happened to me). This will require unfastening from the deck and moving. Pain!!

Water flow is HUGE issue. I bored 2" holes all over to increase from the 4 that came with it. Not sure if it did any good.

We just put in a simple ladder this year. Maybe I'll try the PVC and put the steps back.

[AnnaK]

We had the same problem with algae growth until we drilled 2 inch holes into the sides, two on each side, and one in the front of the bottom step. That was about 6 weeks ago and we haven't had any algae since then.

Our steps aren't fastened to the deck at all. The front stays down from the weight of the three PVC tubes and the back stabilizes them with the weight of the hanging tubes. They don't float anymore, now. We installed the flanges for the handrails but did not drill out the deck. The rails sit in their 2 inch deep holes in the flanges and in the holes of the steps.

I lift the hand rails out in the evening when I put on the solar cover. Oh, we cut that monstrosity, I should post about it. Moving the steps for cleaning is a simple matter of unhooking the hanging tubes from their S-hooks; this now floats the steps a tiny bit, just enough for me to reach the rope and haul out the bottom tubes. Once they're out, the steps just sort of come to the surface for removal.

We're really pretty proud of our weight tubes.

[traceyb]

I have wedding cake steps in our new pool. We have a concrete block and three red bricks in the front. We tied a heavy duty nylon string to stabilizer jug w/ rocks in it to hold the back down (till it is fastened to the deck that isn't there yet). It sits on a pad and moves slightly. The question I have for you all, is this: Is there going to be futuristic problems w/ the water chemistry from having the block and the red bricks in there? The red bricks are in heavy duty freezer bags?
Also, I am now worried about the algae problem you all are having and I haven't yet. The pool has only been up and running for a month now.
Any suggestions?

[traceyb]

Just took another look at my steps. The first three steps from the bottom actually have 5-6 cut out slits on each side of the steps. This should be relatively similar to thou who stated they "cut" holes into each side of the steps????? This should allow for water circulation through and I also realized that the steps aren't flush against the pool wall in the back. Their is about a 5-6 inch space which should also allow for water circulation. I am trying to convince myself that this is good and I won't have any future algae problems. Cross thou fingers and say a lil prayer for me.

[fuelman]

I used plastic bar-bell weight set from a yard sell. Just zip-tied them together and to the shelf under the steps.
I've got about 120lbs. on my steps.

[AnnaK]

TraceyB,
The algae will come, just give them time :(

Our steps also have the cut out slits on the sides and they, too, sit a few inches away from the pool wall. I had never actually thought about algae growing under the steps until the day came when I noticed a narrow green band peeking out from around the bottom step. I scrubbed it, got rid of it, and some days later it was back. So I moved the steps.

YIKES!!! A slimy green area in precicesly the complete footprint of the steps. What a mess!!!

There's enough circulation behind the steps, due to their distance from the pool wall, to keep (visible) algae from growing but the slits alone are not enough to adequately move water under and through them. Now that we've cut the holes in the sides and bottom front this issue has been resolved. When I brush the pool I pay particular attention to swishing some water in direction of the holes. I also put the hose nozzle behind and under the steps when I add water.

I suspect there will be some algae growth directly under the bottom step where it sits flush on the pool bottom because it's weighed down and no water to speak of can circulate there, but that's a vast improvement over the several square feet of green gunk we had previously.

[traceyb]

We made tubes filled with Quickcrete using 3 inch PVC pipe. We placed three of them inside the bottom step and suspended three others from the top step, holding them with electrical ties and S-hooks. The ones inside the bottom step have yellow nylon rope attached, the other ends of which we tied to the loops for the hanging tubes.

Removal of all tubes is relatively easy - nobody has to get into the water, and, since we keep the pool open (for the dogs) until the end of October, retrieving the weights without having to get in was a critical issue :)

Nice idea> I think I will try this method out. It seems safer that bricks in and out as far as the fear of dropping them and scraping/tearing the liner. I used your photos to see, but wondered if sometime you would post the front and a better side shot to show the holes that you bored into the steps. I have the EXACT same steps. Are the holes 2 3 or 4 inch holes? Thanks so much ANNA

[AnnaK]

Hi traceyb,

The holes are 2 inches. One is located in the center of the bottom step in front. The side holes are in the rounded part of the second and third step and level with (on the height of) the first step. They're about 5 inches up from the bottom and ~ 6 - 8 inches apart.




-------- 3rd step




-------- 2nd step


-------- 1st step




O .........O
---------------------------------------- bottom


Hope this ASCII art holds its formating. We won't be taking the steps out again for a photo ops until the end of October. However, if you want to send me an underwater camera I'll get in there and do some real life imagining :)

Ignore the ..... between the 'holes'. I had to use them as spacers to make the picture come out.

[traceyb]

Hi traceyb,

The holes are 2 inches. One is located in the center of the bottom step in front. The side holes are in the rounded part of the second and third step and level with (on the height of) the first step. They're about 5 inches up from the bottom and ~ 6 - 8 inches apart.




-------- 3rd step




-------- 2nd step


-------- 1st step




O .........O
---------------------------------------- bottom


Hope this ASCII art holds its formating. We won't be taking the steps out again for a photo ops until the end of October. However, if you want to send me an underwater camera I'll get in there and do some real life imagining :)

Ignore the ..... between the 'holes'. I had to use them as spacers to make the picture come out.

hey anna k
I am a diver and CAN send you an UW camera, however I realized that your steps were prob still in your pool AFTER i send the reply. Sorry. But it would just be easier for me to save myself on postage, and wait. I can't drill my holes anyway until oct or after when mine come out as well. So if you don't mind taking a few shots after there out, it's no prob. I have until next may or so to wait on ya ;O)
Take care and thank YOU

[traceyb]

Maybe you guys will find this post useful.......pix included within